Two New Neosulcatispora Species Discovered on Agave Leaves in Yunnan

In a survey conducted in Honghe County’s dry‑hot valley of Yunnan Province, China, scientists Lakmali S. Dissanayake, Rungtiwa Phookamsak, Sajeewa S. N. Maharachchikumbura, Ahmed E. Al‑Sabri, Jianchu Xu and Dhanushka N. Wanasinghe collected microfungi from dead leaves of Agave vera‑cruz. They published their findings on October 26 2026 in MycoKeys (DOI 10.3897/mycokeys.142.213343) ¹.

Five isolates representing two previously unrecognized lineages were obtained. Phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated SSU, LSU, ITS, tef1-α and rpb2 sequence data supported recognition as two new species: Neosulcatispora agavicola sp. nov. and N. hongheensis* sp. nov. ¹.

Morphologically, N. agavicola is characterized by relatively large, semi‑immersed to erumpent conidiomata and golden‑brown to dark brown, one‑septate, longitudinally striate conidia. N. hongheensis has smaller conidiomata and mature, three‑to‑four septate conidia. The new taxa form independent lineages within the clade containing the type species, N. agaves; they differ from the ex-type strain of N. strelitziae.

These discoveries expand understanding of fungal interactions with Agave plants and may inform future research on plant–fungal symbioses or potential biocontrol agents for crop protection.